‘Snow White’: What the Critics Are Saying

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Prior to the broad launch of Disney’s “Snow White,” the movie’s initial critic assessments started coming out on Wednesday, and they’ve shown a clear split in opinions.

Under the guidance of director Marc Webb, a contemporary retelling of the 1937 Disney animated fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs unfolds. In this version, the character Snow White, portrayed by Rachel Zegler, teams up with seven little people, or dwarfs, to overthrow her wicked stepmother, the malevolent Queen (played by Gal Gadot), thereby saving their kingdom.

Or:

In a live-action reimagining of the 1937 Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, directed by Marc Webb, Snow White (Rachel Zegler) collaborates with seven dwarfs to overthrow her evil stepmother, the Queen (Gal Gadot), in order to protect their kingdom.

Or:

Marc Webb directs a live-action remake of the 1937 Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this modern take, Snow White (Rachel Zegler) partners with seven dwarfs to oust her wicked stepmother, the Queen (Gal Gadot), for the sake of their kingdom’s safety.

Over an extended period, the movie has faced criticism due to a mix of contentious issues such as Zegler’s casting and her critical comments towards the initial animated film. Furthermore, Zegler stirred controversy with her unfavorable response to Donald Trump’s re-election (for which she later expressed regret) and her pro-Palestine standpoint. Social media users have also tried to portray a rivalry between Zegler and Gadot, who has publicly denounced antisemitism and advocated for the liberation of Israeli captives in Gaza.

By Wednesday afternoon, the movie Snow White garnered a rating of 48% based on 80 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, while it also received a score of 47% from 37 reviews on Metacritic.

In addition to the main actors, Andrew Burnap and Emilia Faucher join the team. Meanwhile, Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift, and Andy Grotelueschen provide voices for the computer-generated seven dwarfs.

Delve into highlights from several notable initial critiques as we approach the nationwide debut of Snow White on March 21st.

According to David Rooney, chief film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, the lively re-telling of “Marc Webb’s” movie is not influenced by any background noise. The screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson cleverly transforms a traditional princess story into one where the protagonist discovers her leadership qualities and learns to emulate her noble father. This theme is powerfully conveyed in the film’s best new song, “Waiting On a Wish,” written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Kate Erbland from IndieWire stated, “The pieces don’t always flow smoothly, but it’s much more enjoyable than that suggests. This is a lively and endearing reimagining of traditional content that warrants appreciation for its blend of necessary modernizations and nostalgia for the past. Primarily, it serves as a reminder of what truly matters: the outcome. In this case, it’s commendable.

In his critique for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw stated that this latest live-action adaptation of Snow White is essentially a waste of time. It seems to be an attempt to reinterpret the story in a less wicked manner and serves as a money-making venture. While other films are creatively exploring villain origins, this one takes a straightforward approach but with subtle, questionable modifications. These changes appear forced and seem designed to avoid backlash while maintaining the original brand image. This is most evident in the costume design, where the wicked witch dons a sharp, dark crown and a hugging black balaclava, while Snow White is saddled with an uninspired outfit reminiscent of retail clothing for tweens. Actors like Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, who are usually quite good, end up delivering their most lackluster performances in this film.

The article by Kyle Smith for The Wall Street Journal states that while Disney’s original Snow White isn’t flawless, with a poorly developed prince character who doesn’t even have a name, it still manages to be captivating, terrifying, and emotional. The updated version featuring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the wicked stepmother has been in development since 2016, but it seems outdated already. Fans were initially displeased with the storyline and the casting of Ms. Zegler, leading Disney to hesitate releasing it last March and request reshoots to appease everyone. However, the revised story is so simplistic that it made Mr. Smith feel drowsy.

Alison Willmore from Vulture expressed that she struggles to evaluate these live-action Disney adaptations based on a traditional quality scale due to the extremely low standard set for them. The audience’s expectation – a touch of nostalgia, updated visuals, and a family-friendly diversion – varies greatly from normal standards. As such, Snow White is not as terrible as it could be but still falls far short of being good. Compared to Aladdin, which was dreadful yet raked in an astonishing billion dollars, Snow White might be considered slightly better. It boasts a garish appearance and features additional songs from Pasek and Paul that are as unremarkable as river pebbles. Whether these new elements matter to its intended audience is uncertain, as they may only be deciding whether to watch the movie based on the social media backlash they’ve heard about it. However, while the film itself lacks charm, there is a certain charm in finally seeing the production after years of cultural conflict that has surrounded its release like a fierce red carpet, revealing it to be more about left-wing disagreement.

USA Today’s film critic Brian Truitt praises in his review that the latest adaptation of “Snow White” is far from being a disappointing live-action reimagining of Disney classics, instead offering a refreshing twist on a well-known fairy tale. Director Marc Webb’s interpretation both respects and expands upon the original “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” storyline. The unexpectedly enjoyable remake eliminates some less memorable aspects – no dashing princes included! The highlight of this modernized version is its unique character development for Rachel Zegler, who delivers a captivating performance as Snow White, along with a sprinkle of original songs to showcase her as the most beautiful among them all.

Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post commented, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the least creative of them all? That would be Disney, the studio that appears to have lost its knack and enthusiasm for creating new hits, instead opting to delve into their archives. Their latest endeavor takes them all the way back – to their very first full-length feature film in 1937, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.’ The outcome? A yawn. This timeless classic, an animation milestone, has been transformed into another unneeded and awkward live-action reboot that fades from memory as soon as it ends. Updating the charmingly vintage ‘Snow White’ was a foolish notion to start with, and while the execution isn’t abysmal, the formulaic refresh is tiring.

In a review by Empire’s Helen O’Hara, she notes that neither Zegler, Gadot nor Webb should be faulted for their efforts in the film. It seems they are striving for impact through snappy dialogue or amusing moments. The movie has some excellent parts due to them. However, the overall feeling is one of compromise and smallness; as if it’s been pieced together and reshaped countless times during editing. There are traces of studio interference, with fears about including dwarves and also worries about excluding them; concerns about focusing on a princess while also reimagining her too drastically; anxieties about embracing cartoonish elements or leaning on realism. Essentially, Disney has chosen to recreate the past rather than innovate, which is the most significant mistake in this case.

Ross Bonaime, writing for Collider, noted that given the challenges of reimagining one of Disney’s earliest masterpieces and their first-ever animated feature, it’s remarkable how successfully Snow White manages this modern adaptation. While it’s far from flawless and occasionally stumbles in its attempt to modernize the tale, its sincerity and warmth generally overcome these shortcomings. It was due for an update, and this fresh interpretation is a commendable effort that ranks among Disney’s better live-action remakes. Granted, it may not be the most enchanting version of Snow White, but it’s still a valiant attempt worth appreciating.

In her review for the Los Angeles Times, film critic Amy Nicholson stated, “Ten years ago, Disney believed that remaking its classic animations was an effortless way to make money and delight viewers. However, this particular adaptation has faced criticism at every turn. Far from a fairy tale ending, it’s actually quite dull. The new songs are unmemorable, and the animation is overcrowded with each pixel vying for attention. There are too many leaves, too many petals, and too many detailed features on the fully animated dwarfs, whose large noses resemble pears.

David Fear, writing for Rolling Stone, commented, “This film seems so uninspired and routine that it’s hard to believe it sparked such controversy for nearly two years and numerous news cycles. It appears as though the creators were trying to please everyone, balancing purists and modernizers, being as inoffensive as possible while still failing to satisfy most viewers. This version of Snow White might not be the most poorly done live-action adaptation of an animated classic, but it certainly competes for its most monotonous. On the positive side, it does make a good bedtime story, since it’s sure to help you fall asleep.

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2025-03-20 00:56